Run@Rate Capacity Verification: How to Prove Production Capacity
What is Run@Rate?
Run@Rate (capacity verification) is a key step in PPAP and customer capacity requirements: the supplier runs production continuously under mass-production conditions at the customer required takt and verifies that the line can stably achieve the target capacity. It usually runs in parallel with PPAP initial sample approval and is hard evidence that you can not only make samples but also deliver volume stably. The verification record is core evidence for customer audits of capacity commitments and the basis of ramp-up planning.
What Indicators Are Verified?
The tool guides you to record three data groups: output (shift quantity and good parts), takt (actual takt, target takt and bottleneck station takt) and losses (planned downtime, changeover, breakdowns, waiting and quality loss time). It also records staffing and shift arrangements during verification so real production conditions are reproduced and results are repeatable. It automatically calculates availability, performance efficiency, quality rate and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and compares them with the target takt to judge whether the line meets requirements.
How Is Pass or Fail Decided?
The judgment has three steps: whether the takt meets the customer required takt including necessary margin (an actual takt about 10% better than required is generally advised), whether OEE reaches the target (85% or more is commonly considered good), and whether continuous running is stable without frequent stops or batch defects. The tool outputs a capacity table and gap analysis, pointing unresolved items directly to bottleneck stations and loss causes, and ranks improvement priorities so the biggest downtime losses come first.
Step-by-Step Usage
Enter the target takt and shift time, record output, downtime and defects along the timeline, let the tool compute OEE and shift capacity, and export a verification report as a PPAP attachment. Before verification, use a VSM value stream map to review the line and SMED to eliminate changeover losses, then verify the improved actual capacity with this tool. Submit the report with PPAP and the control plan to the customer, and archive it as the production capacity baseline and the comparison point for future capacity improvements.